Apparatus for handling ice



(No Model.)

B. B. THOMAS. APPARATUS FOR HANDLING ICE.

No. 277,811. Patented May 15,1883.

' cakes from the UNITED STATES PATENT APPARATUS FOR HANDLING ICE.

SPECIFICATION forming part Of Letters Patent NO. 277,811, dated May 15, 1883,

Application filed April 12, 1883. (No model.) I I To all whom it may concern .Toledo, in the county of Lucas, and in the State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Apparatus for Handling Ice; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, making a part of this specification, in which- Figure l is a side elevation of my improved apparatus as arranged for use, and Fig 2 is a front elevation of the same.

Letters of like name and kind refer to like parts in each of the figures.

In the removal of ice from houses in which the same is stored much difliculty has heretofore been experienced in moving the blocks or sides of the building to the center of the same, and placing said cakes upon the runway thus provided, and much time and heavy work have been required for such purpose. To obviate this difliculty is the design of my invention, which consists in the apparatus for raising and moving blocksot' ice, constructed and operating in the manner substantially as hereinafter specified.

In the annexed drawings, A represent a T- shaped bar, which is secured horizontally to the ceiling or other suitable support within the upper part of an ice-house, and preferably in a relatively central position.

Resting upon the upper face of each side of the head a of the bar A is a roller, B, which is connected with the opposite roller B by means of a rod, 0, that has its ends journaled within said rollers and extends downward beneath said bar, as seen in Fig. 2. Said rod operates to confine said rollers in relative po-- sition upon said bar, while said rollers furnish for said rod a rolling support.

Secured to the lower central portion of the bar 0 is a rope or chain, D, which from thence extends downward to and is connected centrally with a lever, E. Said rope or chain is preferably provided with means whereby its length may be varied to adapt it to the change in the vertical position of the upper course of ice-blocks as the contents of the ice-house are lessened or removed.

A pair of hooks or grapnels, F, connected with one end of the lever I] by means of a short rope or chain, G, completes the apparatus, the operation of which is as follows, viz: The truck is moved upon its track 'until the hooks iay be swung over the block of ice to be raised, and the rear end of the lever is then elevated until said hooks can be engaged with said block, after which the operator depresses the rear end of said lever until the load connected with its opposite end is sufticiently high to clear all obstructions, and then swings said load to the center of the ice-house and places it upon the runway provided at such point for its reception.

By the use of this apparatus as much work can be accomplished in a given time by two men as it would be possible for six men to do in the old way, and, in addition to such advantage, the work is relieved of all of its heavy character, and can be easily done by those whose size and strength would be entirely insufficient forthe handling of ice with the usual appliances.

Having thus fully set forth the nature and merits of my invention, what I clainn as new 1s- As an improvement in the ,handling of ice within an ice-house, an apparatus composed of a lever fulcrumed upon a swinging support that is adapted to be moved from point to pointwithin said house, and having suspended from one end a pair of ice hooks or grapnels, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto set my hand this tlth day of April, 1883.

RANSOM B. THOMAS.

Witnesses:

F. B. GILBERT, W. L. HOY'I. 

